Bed and the like



AWM 'W9 W36.; T. M. BUTLER BED AND THE LIKE Filed May 4, 1954.

Patented Apr. 7, 1936 BED AND THE LIKE Thomas M. Butler, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 4, 1934, Serial No. 723,873

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in beds and has for a particular object the provision of means for dividing off a bed into two portions, separating one portion from another. It is wellknown that many sleepers are restless and cause much annoyance to others, resulting in loss of sleep and health, as will be particularly manifest in the case of sick persons. To eliminate such disadvantages and others which will be manifest, I have devised means which in the form shown to illustrate the principle of my invention takes the form of a board partition which runs lengthwise of the bed and centrally thereof to divide the bed into two equal portions.

The invention will be best understood by reference t-o the accompanying drawing of some concrete exemplications chosen to apply the principle of the invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational View partly in section taken from the si-de of a bed showing one form which my invention might take as applied to a bed;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a form of partition element hereinafter referred to; and

Fig. 3 illustrates a strap and ring used for strapping the ring to a bedpost or support for a purpose hereinafter more fully described.

The form of construction illustrated in Fig. 1 is applied to a bed which in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 has a tubular type foot end support Ill and a tubular type head end support I I, and the foot end support I is provided with upper tubular cross member l2 and lower tubular cross member I3. The head end support I I is similarly provided with upper tubular cross member I4 and lower tubular cross member I5. The end supports I0 and II are linked together by means of a pair of tie rods, one of them, I6, being shown in- Fig. 1. The tie rods may support the usual spring I1, mattress I8, and covering I9. A plurality of straps 2U, to wit, four in number, in the form shown, are provided, one for each of the af-orementioned four cross members. Each of these straps is provided with a buckle 2| and each strap has aixed thereto in an obvious manner or may carry loosely a ring 22. One strap 20 for example is adapted to be linked about the upper tubular cross member I2 centrally thereof in such a manner that the ring 22 is adapted to be positioned 60 on the side of the foot end support IU which faces the opposite head end support II. In the same way another of the straps 20 is linke-d about the lower tubular crossmember I3 centrally thereof with the ring thereof positioned in a manner substantially beneath the ring of the strap on the upper tubular cross member I2. The upper tubular cross member I2 and the lower tubular cross member I3 of the head end support II are each provided with straps 2i]` and rings 22 in a substantially similar manner with the rings thereof positioned on the side of the head end support II which faces the opposite foot end support.

Thus far has been described the means to lock the same with the preferred form of bed partition of my invention. Referring to the bed partition itself as shown in Fig. l, this partiti-on 23 includes a rectangular board 24 which may be made of wood or other material, which board may be of any length but is preferably made shorter than at least the normal bed so that it may be adapted to beds of different sizes. The board 24 is provided with a pair of cleats 25 by any common fastening means on one side thereof in the preferred form which has been chosen to illustrate the principle of the invention, and these cleats are oi sufficient dimensions to receive a plurality of eye-bolts 26 having eyes 2l and adapted to be locked by nuts 28 as will be apparent from Figs. 1 and 2. It will be seen from Fig. 1 that in the form shown, each of these cleats is provided with three of the eye-bolts with eyes and nuts with the eyes 2l of each three registering with each other, whereby a rod may be passed through the eyes of either group of three bolts. It will also be seen particularly from Fig. 2 that the eye of any cleat may be manipulated outwardly fr-om the cleat or inwardly toward the cleat.

The structure of the form shown, excepting for the locking means, has been described and in the operation of the device the partition 23 is rested endwise and lengthwise upon the covering I9 so as to divide the covering and bed into two equal portions with the plane of the partition bisecting the planes of the foot end support and the head end support, I0 and II respectively. In this condition the eyes of one group of eye-bolts registering with each other as aforesaid should also register with the link 22 supported from the upper cross member I2 and the link 22 supported on the lower cross member I3 of the foot end support, between which links said group of three eyes is located. As shown in Fig. 1 a locking rod 29 is adapted to be inserted through the said links 22 and the eyes 21. The locking rod may be maintained in position by a head 30 abutting with the link 22 of the upper cross member I2. In the same way three eyes of the group of eye-bolts at the opposite end of the partition 23 are made to register with the links 22 of the upper and lower cross members of the head end support II and CFI in the same way another rod 29 is inserted through the registering links and eyes to lock the same and is retained in position by means of head 30.

As hereinbefore stated the type of bed to which my invention is applied in the form shown in Fig. l is of the familiar tubular bedstead type.

It will be manifest from the foregoing that I have provided partitioning means and effective means for locking said means in position and means for adjusting the partitioning means to t beds of different sizes. If it is desired to use a partition of a particular size with a larger bed all that is necessary is to manipulate the eyebolts in the nuts outwardly from the cleats and partition and vice versa.

While I have shown concrete exemplications of the application of the principle of my invention these forms do not circumscribe my invention but my invention is capable of being exemplied in a large variety of forms.

It will be apparent that by my invention means easy of handling have been provided to accomplish the objects set forth. In addition, by the means I have provided as will be apparent it will be a simple matter to remove the covering and the like. It will also be apparent that my invention is capable of application to any bed and that the means provided are not only simple in operation and manufacture, but are inexpensive, besides being capable of ready application by any one.

My invention is not. limited to the exempliflcations selected for the purpose of illustration, and these may be changed in numberless respects Without departing from the spirit of the invention, I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth but desire to avail myself of all such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device of the kind described a bed frame having a foot end support and head end support and tie rod means connecting said supports, a partition for dividing said bed into two portions, said partition being provided with cleats, each cleat being provided with a plurality of adjustable eyebolts, straps adapted to be supported by said end supports, and rings adapted to be supported by said straps, and locking rods adapted to be inserted in the rings and eye-bolts at each end of the bed to lock the partition in place.

2. In a device of the kind described a bed frame having a foot end support and head end support and tie rod means connecting said supports, a partition for dividing said bed into two portions, a plurality of eye-bolt members threadedly secured to the ends of said partition, straps adapted to embrace and be supported by said end supports, rings supported by said straps, and locking rods adapted to be inserted in the rings and eye-bolts at each end of the bed to lock the partition in place.

3. In a device of the kind described a bed frame having a foot end support and head end support and tie rod means connecting said supports, a partition for dividing said bed into portions, a plurality of eye-bolt members threadedly secured to the ends of said partition, straps adapted to embrace and be supported by said end supports, rings supported by said straps, locking rods adapted to be inserted in the rings and eye-bolts at each end of the bed to lock the partition in place, said partition being of less length than the normal distance between said end supports, and said eyebolt members being extensibly secured to said partition.

4. In a device of the kind described a bed frame having a foot end support and head end support and tie rod means connecting said supports, a partitionY for dividing said bed into two portions, a plurality of eye-bolt members threadedly secured to the ends of said partition, straps adapted to embrace and be supported by said end supports, rings supported by said straps, and locking rods adapted to be inserted in the rings and eye-bolts at each end of the bed to lock the partition in place, each of said locking rods having an enlarged head for support by a. pair of said rings.

THOMAS M. BUTLER. 

